This invention relates to clutches for location between a driving engine and a transmission and more particularly to a transmission having a plurality of friction plates and disc with a clutch cooling and lubricating system.
Many clutches of the above general nature are known in the prior art, and are included under the general description of an oil cooled clutch. Cooling such a clutch requires passages for the cooling fluid which are arranged to deliver the fluid to all portions of the friction surfaces in a manner which does not starve one location while delivering excess fluid to other locations.
One such method is merely to immerse the clutch in a circulating bath of oil. Another method is to provide passages through which oil is pumped to desired locations and then recirculated from the clutch; however, these structures do not necessarily adequately lubricate all the necessary clutch parts in addition to the clutch discs and plates. It is very desireable that the hub, which mounts and is driven by the friction discs and which is driven when the clutch is engaged, be piloted so that the shaft, which is driven by the hub, can be originally installed in the hub in a simple manner and if the shaft is withdrawn from the clutch assembly, such should be done without the hub losing its position within the clutch assembly. The shaft should be able to be simply reinserted into the clutch assembly and into the hub. This piloting must be lubricated to prevent wear, and since lubrication to the clutch friction members is desireably passed through and around the hub, it is also desireable that the position of the hub be piloted relative to other clutch members and that the piloting contact be resiliently controlled. Adequate piloting and resilient control of the piloting engagement in the manner contemplated by this invention is not present in the prior art.